Chapter 35: Confusion

"Dad! Dad! Look! Braised pork! Braised pork!" shouted Lü Xiucai, his mouth stuffed with a meatball, his eyes locked on the steaming dish that was being placed on the table.

The plate of oily, glistening braised pork barely had time to settle on the table before six or seven pairs of chopsticks shot forward like arrows. Within moments, every piece of meat was gone—even the dried mustard greens underneath were scraped clean.

"Look at you lot, eating like a pack of starving ghosts! Slow down! Anyone watching would think the Lü family has no manners!" scolded Lü Zhuangyuan, his face twisted in mock indignation.

"Come on, Dad, don't nag. We don't even get food this good during the New Year. Besides, that piece of fatty pork on your chopsticks? You're eating as much as we are," teased the youngest son, earning himself a rap on the head with a chopstick.

Watching his younger brother take the hit, Lü Juren hurriedly swallowed his mouthful of food and tried to smooth things over. "Dad, just let them eat. After all, we really went through a lot last night for this meal."

At these words, everyone paused, a flash of fear passing through their eyes as they remembered the harrowing events of the previous night.

That was truly terrifying—watching the Daoist battle with the supernatural creature below the stage while they tried to keep their wits about them and sing their parts above. They'd barely managed to keep their trousers dry.

Their gazes naturally drifted toward the figure standing outside, staring silently at the sky.

An unspoken reverence filled their eyes. If it weren't for this young Daoist, none of them would be alive to enjoy this feast today.

Despite their respect, their attention shifted almost immediately when another servant arrived with a new dish.

"Hey! Roast chicken! Look! Roast chicken!" Pairs of chopsticks hovered above the table like snakes ready to strike.

Just as the chicken was about to be ripped apart, a worn, darkened smoking pipe slammed down onto the chicken's head. "Hold it! Nobody touches this chicken until I invite the Daoist to join us!"

"Dad, don't bother. Daoists don't eat meat. You're about to make the Daoist break his vows!"

"Shut your mouth! It's monks who don't eat meat! And let me tell you, if I come back and see so much as a piece of skin missing from this chicken, you'll all regret it!"

After glaring fiercely at his youngest son, Lü Zhuangyuan wiped the oil from his mouth with his hand and casually wiped it under the table. He turned and headed toward Li Huowang.

"Little Daoist! Hohoho, Little Daoist?" Lü Zhuangyuan's face, already wrinkled like a walnut, contorted even further into an ingratiating smile.

"Little Daoist, after all that hard work last night, won't you join us for a meal? Look at the dishes the Hu family has sent over—they're dripping with oil and flavor!"

Lost in thought, Li Huowang turned toward him, hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Lü Ban Zhu, you saw those ancestral tablets fall over all at once, didn't you? That scene wasn't just in my head, right?"

"Oh, Little Daoist, how would I know? I don't have your skills, and I certainly wouldn't dare to look around. I spent the whole time on stage with my eyes closed!" Lü Zhuangyuan exclaimed, shaking his head.

Li Huowang sighed lightly, the memory of a voice whispering in his ear replaying in his mind. The voice had been faint but unmistakable—it was the voice of his master, Dan Yangzi. Across both worlds, only Dan Yangzi would call him "child."

Logically, hearing his master's voice again should have made him nervous, but Li Huowang instead found himself trapped in a state of confusion. He didn't even trust his own perceptions anymore.

"I'm mentally ill—and severely so. If it was just a case of missing the black Tai Sui and having a hallucination because of my condition, that would be perfectly normal," he thought.

"But the tablets falling over, the sudden appearance and disappearance of the Xi Shen... none of it makes sense. Unless..."

Li Huowang's expression darkened as he thought about the strange transformation Dan Yangzi had undergone before his death. "Could he really have... ascended?"

"No! That's impossible! Dan Yangzi's so-called ascension technique and the pills he took were things I made up on the spot! How could something so absurd lead to ascension? Unless... he didn't become an immortal at all!"

But if he wasn't an immortal, then what had he become? And why was he haunting me? A trace of irritation crossed Li Huowang's face.

"Little Daoist? What's troubling you? We're all on the same side now. If there's anything you need help with, just say the word," Lü Zhuangyuan said, his tone full of concern.

The words brought Li Huowang back to reality. He took a deep breath and made up his mind. "It doesn't matter if it's real or not. For now, the best course of action is to head to Xi Jing City and check out that monk temple Lü Ban Zhu mentioned. If it's legitimate, they might know something. I still know far too little about this world."

"It's nothing, Lü Ban Zhu. I was just lost in thought for a moment. Let's eat," Li Huowang replied.

Hearing this, Lü Zhuangyuan smiled broadly and nodded repeatedly. Together, they walked back to the dining table.

But as they approached, Lü Zhuangyuan's expression froze. Apart from the roasted chicken, every dish on the table had been wiped clean. The plates were so spotless they didn't even need washing.

"Ah, now that was satisfying! This must be how the emperor eats!" Lü Xiucai declared, leaning back in his chair and loosening his belt, his mouth still glistening with oil.

Lü Zhuangyuan managed a stiff smile for Li Huowang, unwilling to reprimand his family in front of their esteemed guest. He picked up the roast chicken with both hands and placed it in front of the Daoist. "Little Daoist, this chicken is nice and plump. Sorry about the mess—it's embarrassing."

Li Huowang chuckled, picking up his chopsticks to tear off a piece of meat. "No worries. The chicken is delicious."

Just as he began eating, a group of people entered the room, led by Lü Zhuangyuan's employer, Hu Jianghe.

"Excellent! Excellent! The ancestors were delighted! The candles on the table were completely burned down—that's a good sign!" exclaimed Hu Jianghe.

Hearing the praise, Lü Zhuangyuan beamed, bowing repeatedly. "Of course, Hu Laoye. It's all part of my duty."

"Lü Ban Zhu, be sure to stop by the Hu family for tea the next time you're passing through," Hu Jianghe said warmly.

As he spoke, a burly man stepped forward with a tray covered in red cloth. With a flourish, the cloth was lifted, revealing ten gleaming silver ingots neatly arranged.

"The ten taels of silver we agreed upon. They're yours."

"Oh, thank you, Hu Laoye! Don't worry, if you need our services again, just send someone to find us, no matter where we are!" Lü Zhuangyuan promised.

Once the Hu family left, the Lü clan gathered around the tray, their eyes shining as they stared at the ingots.

Just as Lü Xiucai was about to reach out and touch the largest amount of money he'd ever seen, a smoking pipe smacked his hand away.

Lü Zhuangyuan carefully took four ingots from the tray and tucked them into his pocket. He looked at the remaining six with longing in his eyes but eventually forced a smile. He picked up the tray and carried it over to Li Huowang.

"Hohoho, Little Daoist, here you go. Six for you and four for me, just as we agreed."

Cultural Notes:

Braised Pork and Family Feasts:

Braised pork (红烧肉) is a traditional Chinese dish, often associated with comfort and indulgence. For families like the Lü clan, struggling to make ends meet, such dishes were rare luxuries reserved for special occasions.

Silver Ingots (银元宝):

The silver ingots depicted here were historically used as currency in imperial China, especially for large transactions. One tael of silver was worth about 1,000 copper coins, making ten taels an enormous sum for ordinary people.

Ancestor Worship:

The mention of candles burning down completely as a "good sign" is rooted in Chinese ancestor worship, where such occurrences are believed to signify the ancestors' approval and blessings.